Cachapas | Venezuelan Corn Pancakes

Fresh from the Venezuelan street food scene are Cachapas, these sweet and savoury cheese-stuffed corn pancakes take less than 30 minutes to make, and the batter comes together in a blender with ingredients you already have at home. Turn these into the perfect breakfast and snack for the little ones – or add a salad and some protein and you’ve got a meal for the entire family!

an image of cheese filled cachapa on a blue plate with sliced jalapeno and lettuce on the side

I saw these Cachapas – Venezuelan Corn Pancakes – first on MasterChef Australia (crazy fan here!) when Antonio made them and I just knew I had to try them. Something so simple that sounded so right!

A gorgeous corn flavour, bouncy pancake texture, and strings of stretchy mozzarella married together to make this street food snack that’s both easy and kid-friendly. Perfect for busy moms like me just trying to get something on the table or in the tiffin!

The best part is – this recipe is super customisable. I add some garlic and jalapenos to my Cachapas which really balanced these pancakes for me and has been my go-to (but I skip the jalapenos when making for the kiddos – do as you need!)

All you need to do is add the ingredients into a blender to make the batter
The recipe calls for all household ingredients
The pancakes just need 6-7 minutes on the griddle before they’re ready to serve

Ingredients You'll Need to Make Cachapas

Picture of all the ingredients for Cachapas with text to identify them

Corn Kernels: The star of this recipe – fresh corn is always better but I always use frozen
Corn Flour + All Purpose Flour: Traditional Cachapas recipes use masa harina but I use this mix in a 1:1 ratio to keep this recipe accessible. Works perfectly well!
Eggs: These help bind the pancake batter and add to the Cachapas’ signature custurd-like richness.
Milk: I recommend using full cream milk!
Oil: to grease the pan
Garlic: Grated garlic just because I love garlic
Salt and Sugar
Sliced Jalapenos: I add a few slices on top of the pancakes when they cook for some heat. You can skip this when you make these for kids.
Mozzarella cheese: Cachapas are traditionally made with queso de mano (‘cheese of the hand’) which has a similar taste to mozzarella cheese and thats what I’ve used here for accessibility!
Butter: for the batter

How to Make Cachapas

1. Combine the fresh corn, egg, milk, butter, cornflour, all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt. Blend until you have a smooth batter.

2. Transfer to a measuring cup or a mixing bowl.

3. Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add a small amount of oil to coat the surface.

4. For each cachapa, pour a ladleful of the batter onto the skillet, using the back of the ladle to spread it into a circular shape, similar to a pancake. You can make them as small or as large as you prefer.

5. Cook the cachapas for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown and cooked through. You'll notice bubbles forming on the surface, similar to cooking regular pancakes. Place jalapeno slices, if using, on the cachapas before flipping them.

6. Cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side and flip it back.

7. Place a generous amount of shredded mozzarella cheese on one half of a cachapa. Fold the other half over the cheese to create a halfmoon shape. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes on each side, or until the cheese is melted and gooey, and the cachapa is nicely toasted.

Repeat the filling and cooking process for the remaining cachapas. Once all the cachapas are filled, toasted, and cheesy, serve them warm along with sour cream!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between arepas and cachapas?

Both arepas and cachapas are classic Venezuelan street foods and while they are both corn-based, there are some key differences. Arepas are round, flat cornmeal patties that are often split open and filled with vegetables or meat. They can be grilled, baked, or fried. On the other hand, cachapas are similar to pancakes, made from a batter using fresh corn and then folded in half and filled with soft, white cheese. These are cooked on the griddle as we have in this recipe.

Are cachapas healthy?

Cachapas are a great source of fibre, protein – and the corn that we use in the batter is packed with vitamins and minerals. You can sub the mozzarella for cottage cheese for a lower fat option if you prefer but I honestly just lovee that gooey stretchiness of the mozzarella in this.

As a mom, I particularly love that these cachapas serve as a real, whole-food based alternative to processed snacks for my kiddos.

How do I serve cachapas?

Cachapas are best served fresh off the griddle so you can enjoy that crispy exterior and silky interior. Top off the folded cachapas with a knob of butter and drizzle on some hot sauce to add some extra heat and sauciness if you prefer.

You can also fill it with meat, avocado or black beans if you’d like to make it a more substantial meal instead.

We all love these at home and now this features regularly for breakfast or as a snack. I also stuff them sometimes with refried beans and add a salad to make this a meal.

As always, share your recreations with me over on my IG – I wanna see all the cute lunch tiffins that get packed with this little touch of Venezuela!

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